With the following three Amplifikation Series amplifiers, we will travel from the three Marshall* amps, which established the foundations for all modern amplifiers, from the early Plexy, the iconic JCM800 from the 1980s, the JCM900. Then we’ll move on to the British monster Orange. This comprises three highly sought-after amps, the last of which is an enormous, high gain monster that is truly a guitar tornado akin to Mastodon. And finally, we’ll wrap things up with the Mesa’s Rectifier Series, a ground-breaking invention from the 1990s. The amplifier that created modern metal, prog metal, and even today’s math metal guitar tones. It was chosen from the fields to create Korn’s massive guitar sound.
In the previous article, we began with the historic amplifiers from the 1960s and 1970s that were used by legends of rock and roll and blues music like Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Page, Deep Purple, and countless other outstanding musicians. Now we’ll go on to a different topic and talk about the three amp simulators following the history, leading us to a more heavier rock and roll, started almost in the same period, then to the 80s heavy metal and the modern metal genres.
About the 3rd generation amp simulation engine
Before diving into each individual amplifier, it’s important to note that Kuassa’s third-generation amp engine was introduced in Amplifikation Caliburn, which we will discuss first.
The new tube simulation engine features real-time processing that guarantees a realistic, dynamic, and natural-sounding amp recording experience that we as guitarists will find enjoyable when using amp sims. In order to keep the CPU usage as low as possible for the modern computers of today, the third-generation tube amp simulation modeling engine offers the ideal compromise between precise, high-quality circuit based design of the software amp simulators and maintaining the lowest CPU consumption, achievable for the contemporary systems with highly optimized code. It’s always a good point to talk about this: How important is the actual modeling of the circuits and how this impacts the overall experience. Especially the all time big problem: The guitar volume control interaction with the amp simulator preamp stages. How well it cleans a a overdriven channel of an amp to almost cleanish tone. We know the guitarists are always unhappy about their tone, but not this time! We are musicians who are looking for the same perfection and results!
Kuassa Amplifikation Caliburn – a classic from early blues to 80 – 90 Hard Rock and Heavy Metal.
British-made amplifiers have unquestionably influenced the development of rock music throughout music history. Big groups like The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Led Zeppelin, and The Who popularized the loud, clear, sparkling guitar tone and the deep gritty mids of such amps. Marshall* Amplifiers is without a doubt the one name that best captures the sound of rock music. From their 1962 founding by Jim Marshall, Marshall* amplifiers have become the preferred choice of many generations.
Key Features :
- 3 amp types, taken inspiration from Marshall* JTM45, JCM800, and JCM900.
- 2 channels for each amp: Clean and Lead
- Power amp Sag and Bias feature.
Since its creation in the 1960s, the iconic Marshall JTM45 guitar amplifier has been used by innumerable musicians.It was one of the first amplifiers to have a “plexi” faceplate, which would later come to be recognized as a trademark of Marshall amplifiers. The JTM45 was created to be a strong, adaptable amplifier that could provide a variety of tones. It was well-known for both its capacity to provide a lot of power without causing distortion and for its warm, rich sound. Ideal for blues and classic rock tones. Set the bass control almost at zero, if you want a tighter sound and quick attack response.
The Marshall JCM800 is another iconic amp that has played a significant role in shaping the sound of rock music. Introduced in the 1980s, the JCM800 was designed to be a higher-gain version of the JTM45, with a more aggressive sound that was perfect for heavy metal and hard rock. The JCM800 quickly gained popularity among guitarists, and it was used by many famous musicians, including Angus Young of AC/DC, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, and Slash of Guns N’ Roses.
Set the master control around 3 o’clock and preamp again at noon. The power amp distortion will give you much fuller overall sound!
Efektor OD3603 Overdrive
JCM900
The Marshall JCM900 Master Volume is another classic guitar amplifier that has been used by countless musicians since its introduction in the 1990s. Like the
JCM800, it was designed to be a high-gain amplifier with a more modern sound in mind, that was well-suited for heavy metal and hard rock. The Amp quickly became a popular choice among guitarists,such as Kirk Hammett of Metallica, Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, and Zakk Wylde of Ozzy Osbourne.
Use our Efektor Overdrive Pro model to boost the amp and get the desired balance between high gain and tightness.
Kuassa Amplifikation Clarent – Thunderous Rockin’ Amplifiers!
Another well-known British manufacturer of hand-wired, high-quality amplifiers is Orange Amps, which is adored by musicians all over the world. Orange, a company that was established in 1968, has a long history of creating amplifiers that are distinctive in both their sound and appearance. Orange amplifiers are renowned for their robust, rich sound as well as their recognizable bright-orange, tolex covering. Over the years, numerous well-known musicians have adopted them, including Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age, Jim Root of Slipknot, and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin.
Ideal for Sludge metal (also known as sludge or sludge doom) is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that originated through combining elements of doom metal and hardcore punk. It is typically harsh and abrasive, often featuring shouted vocals, heavily distorted instruments and sharply contrasting tempos.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge_metal
Key Features :
- 3 amp types, with influences from various models of Orange* Amps:
- 2 channels for each amp: Low Gain and High Gain.
- Sag and Bias feature on the power amp section.
As usual, we are taking many inspirations and influences from the originals we based our modeling from:
The Orange AD30 is a 30-watt tube amplifier with two independent channels that produce vintage-style and high-gain tones, respectively. The AD30 is known for its unique tone and natural compression, The amp is highly regarded by musicians and is described as a “perfect plug and play, straight forward amp”.
The Orange Thunderverb series of guitar amplifiers are renowned for their power and tonal versatility. The Thunderverb 200 is a standout model that boasts supreme articulation, and amazing headroom,
The Orange Rocker 30 is a stripped-down 30-watt amplifier powered by a pair of EL34 power valves running in Class. The Dirty channel allows for an expanded low-gain vocabulary. The Rocker 30 has solid-state rectification that contributes to a less compressed attack and it is ideal for heavy riffs and tones!It is perfect in every room situation and great for gigging and recording.
OR15
The Orange OR15 is a 15-watt all-tube guitar head amplifier that delivers classic Orange tone with clean chimes and awesome dirty tones. The amplifier can produce clean crunch to full-on overdrive sounds due to its vintage British character
Rockerverb
The Orange Rockerverb is a popular guitar amplifier series known for its versatility and high-quality sound. The series features both head and combo options, with varying wattage and speaker configurations. Overall, the Orange Rockerverb is a top choice for guitarists looking for a reliable and versatile amplifier that can deliver professional-grade sound.
Kuassa Amplifikation Rectifor – Fast and Loud, Tight and Heavy.
Amplifikation Rectifor is inspired by the High Gain Mesa/Boogie* Triple Rectifier Head. The Mesa/Boogie Rectifier series is a range of high-gain amplifiers that are known for their tight and heavy bottom end. It’s a powerful, versatile machine that has become a staple among metal and hard rock guitarists. Its ability to produce a wide range of distorted sounds, as well as its commitment to quality and craftsmanship, has made it a beloved amp among musicians such as Korn, Tool, Soundgarden, Incubus, System of A Down, Dream Theater and many more
Three unique sounding channels are available on the Rectifier Amp. While channel two is a vintage channel that can produce a variety of classic rock tones, channel one is a clean channel that can create a warm, full-bodied sound but with preserved highs. The third channel is a high-gain, contemporary channel that may produce a variety of distorted sounds, from a mellow overdrive to a solid high gain distortion.
Key Features :
- 3 channels: Raw, Vintage and Modern.
- 3 types: Clean, Raw and Aggressive.
- NEW! High-res resizable graphic.
- NEW! Many improvements for the user interface.
- Sag and Bias feature on the power amp section.
According to Equipboard, the Mesa/Boogie Triple Rectifier 150-Watt Tube Head is popular because of its punishing gain and powerful third channel. There have been reports that some users have had difficulty configuring this device and achieving the perfect sound that they are looking for. The answer is no in our case!
Always balance the amp’s preamp gain and leave it between 12 and 1 o’clock in order to achieve the robust sound you desire. After that, use our Efektor Overdrive Pro Type to tighten up the gain.
Conclusion
Caliburn as Amplifikation 360 Modules
Our musical preferences and preferred musical genres always determine the best amplifier for our playing style and listening preferences. Sometimes it can be difficult to decide, and we are constantly looking for the ideal tone.
But before diving into the depths of the guitar cosmos, it’s always a good idea to learn more about the history of the amps and the famous players who have refined their guitar sounds over time. Each brand has unique characteristics and auditory nuances that care for tonal distinctions and enable us to express our unique “voice.”
Having said that, these 3 Amp Simulators were chosen by us, because of their significant impact on contemporary music. Because of their uniquines.
Clarent as Amplifikation 360 Modules
The Amplifikation Caliburn became the standard of the British tone in the amp simulators world. You must give the Caliburn simulator a try if you want to hear the purring midrange of your guitar, when you need that deep, characterful tone. Listen to Little Wing by Hendrix and notice how it is both crystal clear and rich in overtones. Or riff easily and sound like AC/DCAngus McKinnon Young cranking the AMP B – Master control, lower the input and get most of the grit from the power amp. There are no limits.
If you desire more heavy on the gain and full with roaring midrange in your songs and mixes, load the Amplifikation Clarent. Take a listen to the Mastodon latest albums! Also, the amp is a must have, if you enjoy doom and sludge music! The C2 Type is exactly what you want!
Rectifor as Amplifikation 360 Modules
And lastly, the Boogie Rectifier amps are already icons in the metal genre. No need for fancy words! It’s the amp when you need that sound. Early Korn tones? That’s your answer!
Lest not forget to mention, you can use the single amp heads and cabinets in our Amplifikation 360 fully featured desktop application, which could be used in your DAW of choice. You can build and save your own signal chains, pedal boards or stacking amplifiers together as presets and reload them any time.
Keep rocking!
